Grilled Cod
on Jun 12, 2025
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Everything you need to know about cooking flaky, tender cod on the grill, including cooking time and how to prevent it from falling apart. Plus, a simple (optional) lemon sauce to go with!
Cod is one of the best fish to cook on the grill. The live fire gives it an appealing smoky flavor, and cod filets take just minutes to grill up. You can grill the fish plain and simple, or season it any which way you like. Cod can be grilled on a gas or charcoal grill with perfect results.
Think about serving grilled cod with a sauce, chutney, or salsa. Here it’s served up with a bright and creamy lemon sauce, made with only a handful of ingredients, but you can change that up for different grilled cod dinners all summer long. Try Chimichurri Sauce, Fresh Herb Sauce, or Horseradish Sauce.
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Use the tips for flipping fish on the grill or using a fish basket (see my complete guide on How to Grill Salmon!) to reduce the possibility of the cod sticking to the grill or falling apart.
Serve grilled cod with Orange Herb Orzo, and Grilled Corn or Grilled Zucchini.
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Best Cod for Grilling
Pacific cod has a flaky, firm texture and a slightly sweet flavor. To make sure you are buying the most sustainable cod available to you, check out Montgomery Bay’s Seafood Watch website, which tells you which cod is best in terms of sustainability.
If possible, buy filets of similar thicknesses, so they cook at the same time. If you have some thinner filets, know that you will probably want to take them off the grill earlier. A 1 1/2-inch center-cut cod filet is perfect for grilling, so buy those if you can. Filets from the tail end of the fish will be thinner, and those from the head end might be thicker. Adjust the cooking time accordingly.
As with all kinds of fish, you want to make sure that your cod is perfectly fresh before grilling. If possible, purchase your cod at a fish store that keeps its fish on ice. If you are buying packaged cod, be sure it comes from a store that sells a lot of it! Most cod has been frozen at some point between the moment it was harvested and when you get it home — that’s fine!
How to Grill Cod Filets
- Make the Lemon Sauce (optional): Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Prep the grill: Preheat the grill to medium-high and oil the grates.
- Grill the cod: Brush the fish with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Grill for 6 to 8 minutes per side, until the fish is opaque.
- Plate and serve: Give the fish a final drizzle of olive oil, and serve with the Lemon Sauce if desired.
How Long to Grill Cod
The grilling time for cod depends more on the thickness of the fish than the size of the piece. Larger filets of cod will also take more time, but it’s the thickness of the cod that will mostly dictate the cooking time.
When the fish is done, it should be opaque and flake easily with a fork.
Use the timing chart as a guide — your grill should be heated to between 400 and 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Start checking at the earlier side of the cooking range if you like your fish on the rarer side, add those extra minutes if you like your fish cooked completely.
| Thickness | Time per Side | Total Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1/2 inch | 2-3 minutes | 4-6 minutes |
| 3/4 inch | 3-4 minutes | 6-8 minutes |
| 1 inch | 4-5 minutes | 8-10 minutes |
| 1 1/4 inches | 5-6 minutes | 10-12 minutes |
Kitchen Smarts
You can grill multiple pieces of fish at a time, and it won’t affect the grilling time, or at least not by much. Don’t overestimate how many pieces you can cook at once! Make sure you can easily tend to, flip, and remove the cod from the grill. Also, leave room between the filets for the heat to circulate.
How to Tell if Grilled Cod is Done
Your cod is cooked through when it is opaque or white throughout, flakes easily, and has an internal temperature of 145 degrees F.
However, the fish will continue to cook once it is removed from the heat, so pull it from the fire when the internal temp is 140 degrees F, and let it sit for a few minutes before serving. The internal temperature will continue to rise and get to 145 degrees F, which is the safe cooked-through temperature for cod. Unlike other fish, you want cod to be cooked all the way through, and have no translucency in the middle.
Use an instant-read thermometer to check the temperature. Remember that fish can go from cooked just right to overcooked in a couple of minutes, so pay attention while the fish is on the grill!
How to Keep Cod From Drying Out
Because cod is a delicate, lean fish, as long as you don’t overcook it, it shouldn’t dry out on the grill. Stick close by, check the temperature or level of doneness often, and take it from the heat the moment it is done to your liking. Also, brushing it with olive oil before grilling helps keep it moist and flaky and prevents sticking.
More Sauces for Grilled Cod
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Grilled Cod
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil (plus more for drizzling)
- 4 (6- to 7-ounce) cod filets (skin on or off)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)
Lemon Tarragon Sauce (to serve; optional)
- ¼ cup sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt or crème fraiche)
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon
- ½ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)
- Minced parsley (to serve; optional)
Instructions
Make the Lemon Sauce (if using):
- In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, lemon juice, olive oil, tarragon, lemon zest, and salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use; the sauce can be prepared up to a day in advance.
Grill the Cod
- Heat the grill to medium-high. Use grilling tongs to dip a wad of paper towels in some vegetable oil, and use the oil-dipped paper towels to wipe down the grill rack.
- Brush the fish on both sides with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Place the fish, flesh side down on the hot oiled grill and let cook for 6 to 8 minutes without moving. Use a large flat metal spatula, preferably a fish spatula, to gently lift the edge of the fish from the grill. If you see nice grill marks and the fish releases easily from the grill, it is ready to flip.
- Carefully flip the fish to another clean, oiled part of the grill (you can also give the skin of the fish — or the top side — another generous brush of oil to prevent sticking). Cook on the second side for another 6 to 8 minutes, until the skin is crispy and has nice grill marks, and releases easily from the grill. Carefully use the spatula to transfer the fish to a serving platter.
- Give the fish a final drizzle of olive oil, and serve with the Lemon Sauce if desired.
Notes
Tips for Grilling Cod
- Pat the fish dry before putting it on the grill so it doesn’t steam and browns nicely.
- Bring the cod to room temperature before grilling to promote even cooking.
- Only flip the filets once to make sure the fish doesn’t fall apart.
- Oil both the grill grates and the fish to prevent sticking.
- Before you flip the cod, give the skin (or the top side) of the fish another generous brush of oil to prevent sticking.
- Use a large flat metal spatula, preferably a fish spatula, to gently lift the edge of the fish from the grill. If you prefer to use tongs, you can do that, as long as the fish lifts easily from the grill. If you see nice grill marks and the fish releases easily from the grill, it is ready to flip.
- Use a fish basket if that is available to you.
- Don’t overcook it!
Make Ahead and Leftovers
The Lemon Sauce can be made up to a day ahead of time. Give it a good stir before serving. Leftover cod can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave, or serve at room temperature.Variations
- Try the blackened rub used in this Blackened Swordfish recipe.
- Try this Cajun Rub.
Nutrition
What to Serve With Grilled Cod
FAQs
You may or may not have the choice to buy skin-on or skin-off cod, but either will work well. The skin will crisp up nicely on the grill and is quite delicious. It also helps the fish hold together and makes it easier to flip. However, you can also grill cod without the skin. And, if your cod has the skin on, but you would rather serve it without, go ahead and grill the cod with the skin, then remove it before serving.
Direct medium-high heat is the best temperature for grilling cod. Grilling the fish at a higher temperature allows the cod to get a nice crust on the outside, without overcooking the center of the fish.
One way to test that you have the right level of heat is to hold your hand 5 inches above the grill. You should be able to hold your hand in place for just 3 to 4 seconds before it gets too hot, and you have to pull it away. This high heat temperature will create the bottom crust necessary to turn the filets without them sticking to the grill.
You can grill cod with the lid up or down. Note that covering the grill will maintain a consistent cooking temperature and speed up the cooking time a bit, so start checking your fish a bit earlier.
Cooked perfectly and tasted great.